This invention relates to a press, and more particularly to a molding press for forming and pressing an overlay to an elongate work piece.
A work piece such as a strip of molding generally maybe described as having a substantially uniformed cross-section extending along its length. The outer surface of the strip, however, in a transverse direction may have a relatively complex arrangement of curves and shoulders. As a consequence it is extremely difficult if not impossible to cover the peripheral surface of the molding strip with an overlay, such as a decorative veneer overlay, without tearing, cracking, or otherwise impairing the overlay material.
The press of this invention features a pair of elongate jaw members cooperatively defining between them an elongate mold cavity for receiving the work piece to which an overlay is to be applied. The jaw members are constructed and arranged to rock toward each other about an axis which substantially corresponds to the base of the cavity defined between the jaw members. The rocking of the jaw members causes the cavity to decrease in lateral size with the jaw members in effect folding together against the sides of the workpiece. As a result, an overlay is in a progressive manner forced against the sides of the workpiece while conforming to the profile curving to the piece.
A general object of the invention, therefore, is to provide an overlay molding press effective to shape and then bond an overlay to an elongate workpiece, such as a piece of molding, and which is particularly adapted to perform this operation where the workpiece has complex profile curvature.
A more specific object is to provide such a press which features a pair of relatively rockable jaw members defining between them a mold cavity for receiving the workpiece and overlay.
A still further object is to provide a molding press where such jaw members relatively rock about an axis extending substantially at the base of a mold cavity defined between them, and which further includes means for both rocking the jaw members to decrease the lateral dimension of the mold cavity and means for pressing material downwardly into the mold cavity.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the press contemplated may be constructed as an elongate unit assembly, and a multiplicity of such assemblies supported on a conveyor, such as a wheel, affording substantially continuous production from the assemblies and loading and unloading at specific locations with respect to the wheel.